Conversion unit



. E. R. ocATHEY ETAL 2,898,980.

CONVERSION UNIT Aug. v11, 1959 Filed Nov. 1, 1954 2 sheets-sheet 1 I INVENTRS Aug. 11, 1959 E. R. o'ATHEY ET AL 24,398,980

CONVERSION UNIT 2 Sheets-Sheet y2 Filed Nav. 1, 1954 INVENToRs Ear/ OCahey ci Joh/7 L. Door/an United States Patent CONVERSION UNIT Earl R. OCathey, Pomona, and John L. Doonan, Yucca Valley, Calif.

Application November 1, 1954, Serial No. 465,784

' 2 Claims. (Cl. 158-109) This invention relates to a burner, and more particularly to a means for converting a gun type oil burner to a gas burner.

"The object of the invention is to provide a conversion unit or kit which will permit a gun type oil burner to be eiiiciently used for burning various gases or fuels such as propane gas, natural gas, or the like, instead of oil.

Another object of the invention is to provide a means for converting an oil burner to a gas burner which can be used with various types of gases such as propane, natural gas, manufactured gas or the like, whereby a fully automatic gas iredheating unit can be assembled or provided with a minimum effort and whereby much of the previous equipment used for the oil burner can be utilized.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a burner which is adapted to be used for burning gaseous fuels, but which can be used for burning oil by a slight modiiication in the equipment.

. A further object of the invention is 'to provide a gas burner which is extremely simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of thefollowing description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, and in which like numerals are used to designate like parts throughout the same:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the completed gas burner, constructed according to the present invention and showing the assembly attached to a conventional type oil burner.

Figure 2 is a wiring diagram for use with the present invention.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken through the'gun or blast tube. "i Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3. Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 3. `.Figure 6 is 'a fragmentary sectional view illustrating certain constructional details of the apparatus.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating the mixer and plug.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 10 designates a horizontally disposed base, and projecting upwardly from the base 10 and secured thereto is a post 11 which has a cap 12 on its upper end, Figure 1. A stand 14 may be secured to the cap 12, and a casing 15 is arranged rearwardly of the stand 14 and is secured thereto. Supported above the base 10 is a motor 16 which is adapted to be connected to a suitable source of electrical energy, and the motor 16 serves to drive a blower or fan 17 which may be of conventional construction. Arranged exteriorly of the casing is a safety valve v18 which is adapted to be connected to a suitable source of supply of gaseous fuel by means of a line 19. The valve 18 is adapted to be actuated by Mice means of a thermocouple 22 as later described in this application, so that when the temperature of the thermocouple 22 rises, the valve 18 can be opened and this valve will stay open as long as the pilot maintains the temperature. However, this valve will close automatically when the pilot is turned off since the valve 18 is a safety valve. Arranged contiguous to the valve 18 and communicating therewith is a second valve 20 which is of conventional construction, and the valve 20 is magnetically operated.

Projecting forwardly from the casing 15 is a hollow cylindrical housing 21. Extending longitudinal through the housing 21 is a main burner tube 23 which includes an enlarged rear portion 24 and a restricted or front portion 25 of reduced size. The front of the tube 23 is open as at 26 so that the gaseous fuel can issue there-y from, and a small portion of the gaseous fuel issuing through the opening 26 is directed towards a chamber 29 which is formed in a head 30. This gas is directed towards the chamber 29 by means of a deilector plate 27 which is secured in place by means of a screw or bolt 28, Figure 3, and its purpose is to cause instant ignition of the main volume of gas.

The arrangement shown in Figures l through 5 is adapted to be used when propane gas is being burned.

Mounted in the rear of the tube 23 is a bracket 31 which is held in place by a plurality of screws 2, and arranged in threaded engagement with the bracket 31 is a conduit 32 which communicates with the magnetic valve 20 when propane gas is being burned. A nozzle 33 projects into the tube 23, and the nozzle 33 communicates with the conduit 32. There is further provided an air diverter 3 which is secured in place by screws 4, and the purpose of the air diverter 3 is to divert or direct the secondary air towards the flame, Figures 3 and 5. Positioned at the rear of the tube is an air baiiie 5 which is secured in place by screws 6, and the purpose of this baffle 5 is to balance the primary and secondary air whereby the proper ratio of primary and secondary air is maintained. The volume of air is controlled by a conventional air damper that is provided in all gun type oil burners.

Extending rearwardly from the head 30 is an electrode 34 which has a tip 35 projecting into the chamber 29, and an electric wire 36 connects the electrode 34 to a transformer 37, Figure 2.

Communicating with the chamber 29 is a pilot tube 38 which may be interconnected to the electrode 34 by means of a clamp 39. A mixer 40 extends rearwardly from the tube 38, and an oriiice or plug 41 is arranged rearwardly of the mixer 40. A conduit 42 leads from the orifice 41 toA the safety valve 18.

Arranged on the rear of the housing 21 is a iiange 43 which is provided with a plurality of apertures or openings 44 whereby suitable securing elements such as bolts or screws can be extended through these openings 44 in order to secure the housing 21 to the casing 115. A plurality of apertures or openings 45 are arranged in the head 30, Figure 5.

Referring to Figure 2 of the drawings there is shown a schematic wiring diagram for the present invention., Thus, the numeral 46 designates a ysupply line, while the numeral 47 designates a ground connection and these lines lead to a conventional relay 48. A room thermostat 13 is connected to the relay 48, and the numeral 49 designates a manually operable switch. The electrode 34 is connected to the transformer 37 by means of a line 36 and only one line 36 is required because with the high tension transformer 37, the spark will jump easily to the pilot to thereby ignite the same. Wires 51 and 52 connect the motor 16 and the magnetic valve 20 to the relay 48 terminals 2 and 4 so that the relay action comes only through terminal 4 to the motor 16 and magnetic valve 20 and is actuated by thermostat 13. Wire 53 by-passes relay 48 from terminal 3 to switch 49 and then to the transformer 37 and then through the line 36 to the electrode 34. The numerals 46 and 47 designate the supply and groundlines for the electrical portion of `the apparatus The numeral 5.8 designates the .thermocouple lead which connects the valve 18 to the thermocouple 22.

From the foregoing it is apparent that there hasv been provided a means lfor convertingy an oil burner to a gas burner. The unit shown in Figure 3 ts the existing burner without any major alterations and iits the pressure atomizng type of oil burner and utilizes the installed burner, Furthermore, no alteration of the fire box is required and the unit simple to install and easy t adjuet as well as being inexpensive to maintain and can be quickly reconverted to burn Oil.. the conversion unit is attached to the existing burner with the oil blast tube and assembly Vremoved and there is a further provided an electric pilot ignition as well as a constant burning gas pilot so that the unit is safe to use. The electrode 34 is used for i-gniting the gas pilot only. To convert the oil burner to a gas burner, the oil blast tube is. removed and then the assembly shown in Figure 3 is attached. The unit, shown in Figure 3 attaches te any gun type oil burner and makes the oil burner burn gas in a highly efcient manner and the burner then becomes a double air inspiration burner. In actual practice, the blast tube and. oil burning assembly is, removed from the oil burner and. the oil lines are capped or closed ot. [hen, the gas unit of the present invention is connected to the old oil burner and the magnetic gas valve 20 is installed and also the thermo-pilot Safety valve 18 is in,- stalled in .the gas line and connected to the supply line 1.9. Then the thermocouple 22 is connected to the. valve 18 sor that the parts are arrangedv as shown. Then, the. relay 4S is installed in lieu ofthe stack control and the push button 49 is connected to the transformer 37 which is used for initial lighting of the. Pilot. Then, a hot wire is extended ahead of the relay to the Pushl button 49. Then. the gas and electricity are., turned on. Then. the thermo-pilot button 57 on the bottom Of the safety Valve 18 is pressed, and this permits gas to pass through to the pilot. The push button 49 is then pressed to ignite the pilot. Next, the thermo-pilot button is held up s everal minutes for the thermocouple to heat upv and then release. Then, the thermostat 13 is turned on and the burner will ignite and then the air supply can be adjusted for a clean blue re. With this arrangement there is provided a gas red heating unit which is inexpensive to operate and install.

In Figure l, the thermo-pilot button is shown arranged below the valve 18. Referring to Figure 5 it will be seen that there is provided two large secondary air holes 7 in the bottom or 'the pilot headv 30 and there is, further provided a plurality of secondary air holes 45. The various controls such as the magnetic valve, safety valve, thermocouple, relay and pushV button switch 'are of conventional construction and in actual practice thegas conversion unit is furnished assembled and.. mounted in a standard flange type blast tube that will lit in most gun type oil burners, and will it any gun type oil burner with an adapter that can be provided. Different types of adapters can be furnished Vfor different types of oil burners. Figure l shows the unit installed on a conventional gun type oil burner wherein the unit is tted to the existing blast tube by means of the flange 43. The thermopilot button is on the bottom of the safety valve 18 and the transformer push button may be attached to an outlet box that can be attached to the transformer. The openings 45, Figure 5, are secondary air holesy for the gas pilot burner and without these holes theV pilot wouldv smother out in a few seconds and then the. thermocouple would cool off and the safety valve 18 would close. The

.f assenso InV actual practice valve 18 will also close automatically if the gas is acci'- dentally shut-olf, and will not let gas pass until the pilot is manually re-lighted. The valve 18 is connected only to the self-generating thermocouple 22 which generates 25 millivolts and heat alone generates this electricity. The transformer 37 is utilized only to ignite the gas pilot at the beginning of the heating season or in case of pilot failure. In most cases it would be practically impossible to ignite the pilot with almatch. The terminal #3 on the relay 4S in Figure 2 is a bypass terminal and leaves the wire 53 hot at all times up to the button switch 49. The wire 52 coming from the #4 terminal on the relay is energized by the relay when the thermostat is actuated. The electrode 34 is used to ignite the lgas pilot at the beginning of the heating season only and only one wire leads from the transformer 37 to the electrode 34. By pressing the button switch 49, a 5,000 volt high tension spark will be thrown tothe pilot burner which is grounded to thereby ignite the pilot;k 'Iheother terminal 8`0n the transformer 37 is not needed except when oil is being burned. The structure indicated by the numeral 9 in Figure 1 represents an oil pump on an old oil burner and servesv no purpose unless the burner is converted back'to oil. In Figure 3 jt will be seen that the ends of the elec-` trode `and pilot burner extend through the head 30 and are not llush with the head so that the spark` will always jump to theA edge of the pilot, burner otherwise the spark might, jump to the head instead. The numeral 13 designates the room thermostat which controls the room` tem,-

perature. The thermocouple 22 is a part of the. Safety device.. We claim:

1. A conversion unit comprising a hollow cylindrical housingy having a rear air inlet and a front airoutlet, a main burner tube positioned'in said` housing and in` cluding a rear enlarged portion and a front'y portion of reduced diameter, there being an opening in the front of said tube adjacent said outlet for the passage therethrough of gas, an apertured head mounted in the front of said housing adjacent said outlet and including a chamber fol'` receiving a portion of the gas issuing through said opening, a deector plate secured to the front of said tube and housing for directing gas towards said chamber, a' bracket mounted in the rear of said tube, securing elements for retaining said bracket in place, a conduit ex-v tending rearwardly from. said bracket and adapted to be connected to a source of supply of gas, a valve commu,- nicating with said conduit, an air diverter arranged ad,- jacent the front of said housing to direct air tothe, front of said opening, an air baille secured at the rear of said tube and controlling the air inlet thereof, a gas supply nozzle projecting into said tube and communicating with said conduit, a pilot tube supported by saidhead' andI communicating with said chamber, a pilot'mixer arranged rearwardly of said pilot tube, a plug arranged rearwardly of said mixer, a pilot gas supplyv line connected to' said plug and extending through said housing, an electrode supported by said head and extending rearwardly therefrom and s aid electrode having a tip projecting into said chamber, a high tension lead connected to said electrode and extending rearwardly through said housing, and a flange mounted on the rear of said housing and provided with a plurality of openings for the projection therethrough of securingv elements.

2. A conversion unit comprising a hollow housing having a rear air inlet and a front air outlet, a main burner tube positioned in said housing, there being, an opening in the front of said tube adjacent said outlet for the passage therethrough of gas, an apertured head mounted in said housing adjacent said outlet andv includ.- ing a chamber for receiving a portion of the gas issuing through said opening, a deliector plate secured, to said tube and housing for directing gas towards, said chamber, a bracket mounted, in said tube, a conduit extending fbmradbracket and, adapted tobeconnected to asource of supply od gas, a valve communicating with said conduit, an air diverter arranged adjacent the front of said housing to direct air to the front of said opening, an air baille secured at the rear of said tube and controlling the air inlet thereof, a gas supply nozzle projecting into said tube and communicating with said conduit, a pilot tube supported by said head and communicating |with said chamber, a pilot mixer arranged rearwardly of said pilot tube, a plug arranged rearwardly of said mixer, a pilot Igas supply line connected to` said plug and extending through said housing, an electrode supported by said head and extending therefrom and said electrode having a tip projecting into said chamber, yand a high tension lead connected to said electrode and extending through said housing.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

